According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), This summer, wind and solar energy are likely to play a significant role in electricity generation in the United States. As a result of new generation capacity, renewable solar energy sources will contribute to an increase in electric power generation.
It is expected that between June and August 2022, utility-scale solar generation will rise by 10 million MWh. While energy generation from natural gas & coal will decrease by 26 million MWh during the summer.
However, The capacity of wind and solar power to generate electricity is continuously increasing in recent years. According to the EIA estimate, the United States’ solar power industry will have 65 GW of utility-scale capacity up by 3% by June 1, from June 2021.
Energy Information Administration (EIA) Forecast:
EIA estimates that by June 1 the U.S. electric power sector will have 65 GW of utility-scale generating capacity. This capacity is a 31% increase in capacity since June 2021. The Texas electric market contributed about a third of the additional solar capacity. This shows that the future energy is solar energy.
In comparison between solar & gas, the electrical industry has gradually phased out coal-fired power stations over the last decade. Also, The electric power sector will retire 6 GW (2%) of coal-fired generating capacity in the United States.
Higher natural gas costs in past years would have resulted in more coal-fired electricity generation. However, coal-fired power plants hampered in their ability to refill their historically low stockpiles in recent months. This is due to mine closures, rail capacity limits, and labor market tightness. These coal supply limits, combined with continued generating capacity retirements, contribute to our prediction that coal-fired power in the United States will fall by 20 million MWh (7%) this summer.
Overall, EIA is expecting a significant increase in the use of renewable solar energy in power generation during the current summer.
